According to Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Portugal will return to a “state of calamity” on December 1 with strengthened measures to prevent further Covid-19 transmission.
The use of face masks will once again be required in all closed spaces, according to a decision made by the Council of Ministers on Thursday.
According to the Xinhua news agency, the Covid-19 digital vaccination certificate will also be required for access to restaurants, hotels, bars and clubs, sporting events, and gyms.
Those wishing to enter retirement homes and health facilities, as well as attend major cultural or sporting events, will be required to present a negative test, regardless of vaccination status.
Costa said that “the first measure to be taken is the reinforcement of the vaccination campaign with the booster dose”.
“The government has acquired in time the requisite amount of vaccine doses to be administered to each Portuguese,” Costa said, adding that the country is “prepared to vaccinate eligible children”.
A negative test will be required for all passengers flying into Portugal, with airlines facing fines of 20,000 euros ($22,400) per passenger if they do not comply.
Portugal has reported 1,133,241 coronavirus cases and 18,385 deaths since the pandemic began in early 2020.
